But what's this? A closer look through the nicotine haze reveals a few capes, an occasional painted face, a set of antennae, young men and women wearing tights. What's going on here? Is this the entertainment at a comic book convention?

For most, New Year's Eve and Halloween are the traditional dates to dress up in outlandish costumes. We take a momentary vacation from reality and our workday personas, and indulge in an evening of fantasy. Free of inhibition, we cut loose a little. We temporarily become bold, and strut about brandishing our alter ego like a pirate's sword. By sunrise we transform back into the shy woman in accounting, or the quiet guy in the next cubicle, perhaps a little embarrassed, yet yearning for our next chance to change our identity.

But what's up with these people who frequent the live music scene who wear lavish costumes year round? Are they freaks? Are they a cult? Why do they dress up? Are they attention-starved ultra-thespians, unable to leave the stage? Or are they real-life modern Superheroes, trying to make the world a better place with their super powers?

This intriguing phenomenon focuses on one band in particular. All Mighty Senators, a "trend setter" rock and soul band from Baltimore, features a 6'4" stand-up drummer who sings lead and wears homemade costumes. The freaks come out to see AMS and to be seen, as the band tours from California to DC, and from Vermont to Nags Head.

To observe a herd of these unique fans in their native habitat is a sight to be seen. Yes, the music jams. But the real show is the fans. Girls throwing confetti and streamers. Off-duty porn stars and strippers. Occasional nudity. Fire breathers. Fourteen foot tall Mardi Gras puppets!

The freak-in chief is the band's lead singer and drummer, Landis Expandis. He wears tights, a cape and a mask. He rocks the masses with his funky beats and versatile vocals, toying with the crowd between songs, enticing them to move and groove until the whole club becomes a continuous dance riot. Expandis claims to have super powers. He claims to receive transmissions from space. Does he really? Or is he just another flake, like the guys with tin foil hats (to shield them from the secret rays, of course) who hang around Lafayette Park and demand that the President stop controlling their brains with radio waves through the fillings in their teeth? Let's go backstage and see what Expandis has to say about Superheroes and their followers.

Larry: So, Mr. Expandis, you say you're a Superhero?

Expandis: Correct.

L: What are your qualifications?

E: I am a catalyst for transmissions from outer and inner space, which I transform into rhythm, music and light. I then project these goodies to willing receptors in an attempt to spread butter and jelly throughout the galaxy, although it pleases me just to feed the kids down the street.

L: Oooooo kaaaaay. [Backs away slowly.] Convince me you're not just another flaky musician with delusions of grandeur or schizophrenic tendencies. And what does all that Sun Ra stuff have to do with rock and roll?

E: Interesting you should mention Ra, a lot of people thought he was too far out in left field, but he was spiritually right next door to me and my friends. Fact is there are other levels to reality besides this physical realm. [Swigs from a pitcher of red liquid.] To know this is to possess wisdom. Some folks are afraid to believe in things they cannot scientifically prove. But I feel intuition and instinct are super powers left untapped by a lot of people in our culture. Is it so-called supernatural fantasy or just the levels of reality some are too wussy to experience?

L: Does your Superhero shtick represent the best in American values? Or is it a rejection of them?

E: We at A.M.S. Industries believe in hard work and refinement. We also believe in respect for the differences in people's beliefs because those that are down with the alliance for the common good know that our beliefs are not all that contrasting. It's the Legion of Doom that we have to watch out for. They don't always take human form. American values? Yeah, like Native American values.

L: Is this Superhero thing just a kooky poser cult, like Goths, or those who think they're vampires? Aren't you just encouraging group anti-social behavior? And please tie this philosophy of yours into the reality of a rock and roll concert.

E: If it sounds like that to you, then you miss the point, and that's OK. The world needs its J. Jonah Jamisons. I guess you could say it's like the vampire culture, except it's not dark and evil or pretend. Being marvelous is an achievable reality, not fantasy. It just takes a little self-discovery, not blood drinking. Let me explain. First you need to discover your Super Power and figure out how it can be used to somehow thwart evil forces. Maybe your graffiti art is so interesting and well placed it can defuse road rage during traffic jams. Or maybe your Aquarius is so strong that you possess great ability to bring together north and south magnetic personalities. Or maybe your extrovert business savvy is well tuned enough to get a recreation center opened from an abandoned warehouse in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. Extraordinary powers like E.S.P. and energy channeling can be a plus, but obviously very rare. And that's OK because Superman had alien powers but Batman developed his. They are both excellent at what they do. You see, the goal here is not to be anti-social. The goal is to be extremely social. Next, you need your super vehicle. Mine is my drum set, "Star Pussy." I'll get a transmission live on stage and before I realize what's happened, "Star Pussy" has already moved as if by remote control. It can be a low-rider bike or rocket-fueled skates, or a pair of kicks that help you move through difficult break-dance maneuvers. But most importantly, you need an alter ego and a name for it, so you can transform regularly. Halloween is not often enough. We also recommend you make an actual costume special for your transformation, using your most personally favorite colors. Mine are deep purple and Pepto-pink. My drum set is the exact color of Pepto Bismol. By the way, you hold a bottle of Bismol up to my drums and it will disappear. Anyway, try your costume on around the house while you do dishes at first to get your courage up, then graduate to wearing it out to the clubs. From there, your closed door swings open. [Peaceful pause.] Did you say real-life Rock 'n' Roll? Isn't that an oxymoron? Rock 'n' Roll has always been about fun, period. Right? That's what I'm talkin' 'bout, not fat-free mayonnaise or jumbo shrimp!

L: Talk about what you'd like to teach your flock, Preacher Expandis. And to what end? What would the world be like if your teachings were widely accepted?

E: Well, I don't know if I claim to have a flock, but there are other superheroes in the league like me. You can find us chatting on the A.M.S. B.B.S. daily. Stomp, Teen Titans, Dragonfly, Phreakazoid. I know two marvels out West: Ghis Loree and Nigel Butterfly, mistresses of color and light. McTrac-C, Bootsy, too many to mention right now, but we spread the goodies, you know? If "our deal" were widely accepted by this planet, there of course would be no need for superheroes. But until then, the battle between good and evil is not fought on the physical plane, it's metaphysical. [A stagehand chuckles.]

L: Explain what "our deal" means. What do you want people to learn from their AMS experience? What can they do to make Baltimore and the universe a better place?

E: A simple, basic truth that everyone knows but seldom practices: When you loosen up and have fun with your brethren once in a while, your daily task of problem solving becomes easier. And don't forget that your brothers and sisters are here to help. We must thwart those in alliance with the legion of doom at every turn.

L: Who are your favorite superheroes, real and fictional? And how and when did Landis become Expandis? Why?

E: Ooooh! A quadruple question! My favorite superhero has always been Spiderman, first of all because of his dual universe of being a man and a boy. I identify with that strongly, I call it Peter Panyism. Only people in touch with their inner child can create true magic. And only those who see the invisible can create the impossible, you know? Peter Parker did not ask to be bitten by that radioactive spider. It just happened. But it was up to him to decide whether his newly found power was to be used for personal gain with the mustard of the underworld, or to be used for the common good. There I was, third year in Art College, wasting my parents' money, ready to graduate with a degree in painting. I remember the exact place and time that the proverbial spider bit me, starting the reception of actual transmissions that was to be converted into music and light. Suddenly when I would put my pen to paper, it would begin moving like that heart-shaped disk from an ouija board. And when I was done, the entire concept for a song had been completed. Since I had never done this before it was peculiar to me. The process would usually take about ten seconds. I made up my mind then and there to sharpen my receptors through practice and study to be sure the transmission came through more completely each time and to possess the secret decoder ring or magnetic bracelets to conjure this energy when needed. Right now it is still random. But most importantly, I must use this power for the common good and not sell out to the man! Knowhadamsayin? ["Yeah!" a colleague chimes in.] This is when I became a Superhero. A friend of mine started calling me Expandis, and so it was forged in pudding. I soon teamed up with the Alliance of Superheroes called All Mighty Senators. Our music isn't like the music of most bands. We've brought total introverts out of their shells, cured depression, induced labor, saved marriages. We've pulled huge chunks of love out of hate. And so our mission goes on.

L: How about your favorite real-life superhero?

E: Well, Bootsy has the best outfits, but to answer that question I have to utter the name of the man who cannot be compared to any of the superheroes in my world, because he actually risked his life to change the world. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. You know the story. Who among us would donate our lives to a non-violent struggle? It makes me feel like a wuss just thinking about it. But any small way that you dedicate yourself to change reality for the common good obviously could qualify you as a Superhero. In this world of omnipresent evil, it is good to pick up the sword of Music, or speaking, writing, photography. As for the lavish outfits, being fantastic is the way of my tribe. Some identify with it and some do not. I don't need an excuse to wear a cape. It's my flamboyancy that helps me float to the top of the cesspool of life. Did I say that?

Well said, Expandis. See all you superheroes out there in the cosmos. Until then, "Superheroes of the universe, unite!"